Monmouth makes some noise at Holmdel Invitational
Tom Hayes, Rick Farrah win elusive gold medals for Falcons
Chris Kelly Monmouth Regional’s Tom Hayes clamps himself around Keansburg’s Frank Puglisi to prevent a reversal in the finals of the 29th Annual Holmdel Invitational Christmas Wrestling Tournament last Friday. Hayes ended up knocking off the top seed, 7-6.
Droughts are a constant in the world of athletics, but the Monmouth Regional High School wrestling team just ended one, thanks to Tom Hayes and Rick Farrah.
It has been several years since Monmouth Regional’s wrestling program has walked away with a single medal from the Holmdel Christmas Invitational wrestling tournament, but that drought is now over.
Tom Hayes and Rick Farrah snapped a long cold streak by the Golden Falcons at the 29th edition of the tournament, which features Freehold Borough, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Manasquan, Marlboro, Monroe, Red Bank Catholic, Rumson-Fair Haven, Shore Regional, St. John Vianney and St. Rose.
The first to step on top of the medal podium was Hayes, who edged out Keansburg’s Frank Puglisi (seeded first), 7-6, in the finals with a late power half nelson to earn two near-fall points.
Hayes battled as the tournament’s sixth seed, winning 15-0 in the preliminary round, 18-4 in the quarter-finals and 6-4 in the semis.
"I expected to win today," said Hayes. "Even though I came into the tournament as the sixth seed, I learned this summer from Coach Kevin Mammano that whatever seed you are doesn’t matter — what matters is how you wrestle.
"In the quarter-finals, I wrestled really sloppy, but I made myself improve as the tournament went on. I knew I had the championship when I first turned Puglisi in the finals."
Farrah was the number-one seed of the 189-pound weight class.
He received a bye for the opening round, then pinned Ryan Young (Keyport) in 16 second of the quarter-finals, received a forfeit in the semis, and pinned Shore’s Justin Lugones in 2:25 of the finals.
"Losing wasn’t an option for me," said Farrah.
"We haven’t done very well at this tournament over the last few years, so the team wanted to change that. Each of us that wrestled today took nothing off — we left it on all the mat."
Other Falcons who won their preliminary match, then lost in the quarter-finals were: Tinh Tupy (112 pounds), Diego Rosado (145 pounds), Paul Smith (160 pounds), Luke Panizzi (171 pounds) and Mike West (heavyweight).
Aimin Meschel was Monmouth’s only other place-winner.
The 140 pounder pinned his way into the semis, where he was decked in the in the first period.
He then placed fourth after losing his consolation by a second-period pin-fall.
"Our only real expectation, going into this tournament, was to improve," said head coach Jerry Schulte.
"That really our only goal, every time we take the mat, is to improve a little bit more each time."